Thursday, June 28, 2012

GETTING PAID TO GET OUT OF BED

DON’T TALK TO ME ABOUT WORK




Between trying to show KT around town and the heat, training for my new job has become an inconvenience. Don’t get me wrong, it is a WELCOMED inconvenience but I wish that I had a chance to spend all of the time available with my daughter.
     
The good people at Ollie Webb set me up with a fine job coach.  “Dammit, Janet” is a former financial planner and she had over 800 clients at the peak of her career.  She is a really sweet woman, in her early 60’s and my “Longshot luck” is still holding form, as I do not think that I could have picked a better volunteer to handle my case!  This first night of “live fire practice” I could really sense her support as I muddle through and had a good night.  There are a couple of more training days as well as my first shift to get through the weekend on my own, but I will make it, no freakin’ doubt!

Nebraska has been a gem as far as helping keep my daughter company.  Tonight she and her middle daughter (Wow… KT is MY middle daughter!) took KT shopping and to dinner while I toiled in the cube prairie (every time I think I am out, they drag me back in!!) this evening and on Saturday KT said that there were tentative plans to do a movie.  Hopefully they will be able to catch the dreadful Madea movie that is coming out.  I am not assuming it is dreadful simply because it is a Tyler Perry film but that it is a Tyler Perry Madea-brand film with Eugene Levy in it, he of the crap “American Pie” sequels.
                                   
THE MAD HATTER

Today when I finally drug myself to the Old Market to work out, a super famous celebrity was exiting the gym with his wife and daughter in tow.  It was LSU head football coach Les Miles, and he was in a hurry so I did not get his picture or hassle him.  He did take the time to shake my hand and went on his way.  Oddly, it was his saying the name of the daughter that he had tagging along with him and his wife that caught my attention.  It sounded like the name of MY daughter and that caused me to take another look at him as he finished his workout and walked out the door.

As he sped off with his family, I thought how little it mattered to me that I was not able to memorialize the chance meeting in some way.  It made me reflect on my own life as often I sorta-kinda wish that I had pictures of where I have been and the things that I have done in my life.  But as I so often do whenever this particular feeling of melancholy attempts to take residence in my thoughts, I go back to elementary school and remember a photo that I had taken for picture day.  I will get it put on a cd-rom so that readers can see how many f*cks an elementary-aged Mark gave about picture day!!

I was glad that Nebraska thoughtfully took a picture of KT and me when my daughter deplaned because I was so into living in the moment of seeing her again that I would rather spent that instant feeling her arrival than I would have memorializing it.  And while I still do not feel comfortable in front of a camera, I will not refuse a request, as that is plain rude and selfish.  But I would morn the instance that was lost trying to orchestrate and create a picture of a certain moment.  Not saying that it is anything but something that I find that I have no desire to do.
Right now whenever I take a photo of either KT or Flat Ruthie, I still have the feeling that I am trying to catch lighting in a bottle.  That is a futile proposition and I am so like, “thanks, but no thanks homeboy,” as far as trying to accomplish that task.  Hopefully, I will get better at taking pictures and more at ease with a camera.  Now, as for something that I do enjoy and take part in… Beth sent me a card from her and Ken’s experience on Route 66!  How cool was that!!

Anywho, it is past my bedtime!  Expect a Flat Ruthie post this weekend.  Hope that everyone is well and enjoying the heat!  It definitely beats shoveling snow, but if it could rain over the entire state of Colorado for a couple of days, I think that the residents would approve of that!

4 comments:

betty said...

Have to agree about rain for Colorado, Mark. Those fires can be so devastating. Didn't realize you had a job, good for you on that; good that Nebraska is showing KT the town so to speak when you can't be there to do so yourself!

betty

Babz Rawls Ivy said...

Enjoy the time spent. Don't worry about photos. Take it all in, in your own mind. That's where it really matters.

Beth said...

Sounds like you're having a great time, and fitting as much in as possible!

One thing I've learned about certain experiences...especially concerts. If you're so focused on getting some good pictures, you can miss the full experience of the show. After all, it's a visual, aural, and physical experience. I sometimes try to get a pic or two, but mostly just immerse myself in the show. It was different on Route 66, because the stimuli are not as pronounced...or at least different.

Glad you enjoyed the postcard!

Ken Riches said...

Sounds like Nebraska is really coming through as a friend for you while KT is there, I am glad.